ISLAMABAD: Karachi Kings will be eager to finally end their losing streak in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) tournament on Sunday as they take on Islamabad United at Karachi’s National Stadium.
The seventh edition of Pakistan’s Twenty20 cricket league kicked off on January 27 in Karachi and will run till February 27. Six franchises, each representing a Pakistani city, are featuring in the tournament.
Former PSL champions Karachi Kings have had a disastrous start to the tournament, slumping to the bottom of the points table after losing all four of their matches.
Skipper Babar Azam’s team has failed to win against Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators and arch-rivals Lahore Qalandars in the tournament so far.
Karachi will take on Islamabad for the first time in the PSL 7 tonight.
Former two-time PSL champions Islamabad United are placed at number three on the points table. Islamabad won their first match against Peshawar Zalmi, thrashing them by nine wickets while they lost out to defending champions Multan Sultans in their second fixture.
United have batted aggressively in the tournament so far, with openers Paul Stirling and Alex Hales in impressive form. Skipper Shadab Khan, Colin Munro and Hussain Talat have also played their part in ensuring Islamabad scored above 160 in every match they have played.
After beating Quetta Gladiators in their third match, Islamabad lost out to the Lahore Qalandars after 20-year-old pacer Zaman Khan cleverly bowled the last over of the game, refusing to give away too many runs.
Karachi will be heavily relying on skipper Babar Azam tonight, who looks to be in dangerous form. Azam scored an unbeaten 90 off 63 balls in the team’s last match against Peshawar Zalmi. This was his highest score in the PSL to date.
The match between the two sides is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm.
Hapless Karachi Kings look to end PSL losing streak against Islamabad United today
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Hapless Karachi Kings look to end PSL losing streak against Islamabad United today
- Karachi have lost all four matches that they have played in the tournament so far
- Islamabad United are placed at number three on the points table with four points
Sri Lanka seal gritty T20 win over Pakistan to level series
- In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka scored 160 runs before choking Pakistan to 146-8
- The series saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game
Dambulla: Sri Lanka eked out a hard fought 14-run victory over Pakistan in the third T20 at rain-hit Dambulla on Sunday, easing their batting jitters and squaring the three-match series 1-1.
The series, a warm-up for the T20 World Cup with Pakistan set to play all their matches in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with nuclear-armed neighbors India, saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game.
“We were a bit worried about our batting and I’m glad we addressed that today,” said Wanindu Hasaranga, who walked away with both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors.
“The bowlers did a good job too. The ball was wet and it wasn’t easy. We tried to bowl wide and slow and asked them to take risks.”
Hasaranga took four wickets in the game and in the process completed 150 wickets in T20Is.
In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka muscled their way to a competitive 160 before choking Pakistan to 146-8.
Having been bowled out inside 20 overs in the series opener, Sri Lanka needed a statement with the bat and duly ticked every box after being put in.
The top order laid the platform and the middle order applied the finishing touches.
Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis made hay under the Power Play, blasting 30 off 16 balls while Dhananjaya de Silva (22 off 15) and Charith Asalanka (21 off 13) kept the scoreboard ticking.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka then swung the momentum decisively, clubbing 34 off just nine deliveries, peppered with five towering sixes.
The sixth-wicket stand between Shanaka and Janith Liyanage produced 52 runs in just 15 balls and proved the turning point, shifting the game firmly Sri Lanka’s way.
Pakistan came out swinging in reply, racing to 50 in just 19 balls with captain Salman Agha hammering 45 off 12 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
But once the field spread, Sri Lanka tightened the screws, applied the choke and forced the asking rate to spiral.
“It was a good game of cricket,” Agha said.
“We conceded too many runs, but our batting effort was good. Unfortunately, we fell short. We know we are going to play all our World Cup games in Sri Lanka and it’s important that we played in similar conditions,” he added.
